Fireworks and Frankfurters For the Fourth

July 3, 2005

Gloria and Emilio Estefan, the Beach Boys, the O'Jays, Il Divo, Sharon Lawrence and Irish tenor Ronan Tynan help celebrate Independence Day with the National Symphony Orchestra in a live concert telecast from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol.

Barry Bostwick, who played George Washington in a 1984 miniseries, returns for his eighth year as host of A CAPITOL Fourth on Monday at 8 p.m. on PBS.

The Estefans will receive the second National Artistic Achievement Award. Erich Kunzel will conduct the NSO, and fireworks will light up the sky from the Washington Monument grounds.

Other Fourth-of-July programs:

At noon, live from Coney Island, N.Y., on ESPN, it's the international hot dog eating contest. The competition, sponsored by hot-dog maker Nathan's Famous, has been around for about 90 years. Mustard, anyone?

At 9 p.m. on NBC, the Macy's 4TH of July Fireworks Spectacular from New York features pop superstar Mariah Carey.

At 10 p.m, ABC airs An American Celebration at Ford's Theatre: A Salute to the Troops, taped June 12. Jeff Foxworthy hosts, and Jesse McCartney is among the performers.

At 10 p.m., CBS will carry the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular, hosted by Harry Smith and Jann Carl, live from the Charles River Esplanade. Keith Lockhart will conduct the Pops in its rendition of the "1812 Overture."